THE Colonsay Hotel was set to close after a downturn in the economy but the island Laird, Alex Howard, gathered some friends who will pay rent to keep it open.

THE festive spirit is flowing on the isle of Colonsay after volunteers stepped in to save its only pub from closure.

Faced with a two hours and 20 minutes
ferry ride to the nearest watering hole in Oban, community helpers lined up to keep Christmas cheer on the Hebridean isle.

Laird
of Colonsay Alex Howard and a few friends, stepped in to save the Colonsay Hotel – the island’s only hotel and bar – by buying it when the
previous owner closed it suddenly a few years ago.

But
the downturn in the economy meant the bar, which opened as an inn in 1750, was due to close during winter for the first time.

An
action plan saw local development officer Donald MacNeill seal a speedy
deal with the laird to allow the community to pay a nominal rent to temporarily take over the bar.

Former
bar worker Grace MacPhee, 24, and her partner, Keir Johnston, 27, who run the island shop, have trained volunteers in licensing laws, food hygiene and use of the tills.

Grace
said: “This was the first winter that the bar was going to be closed. They have stayed open- in previous winters but, like a lot of island hotels, it’s not viable.”

The Colonsay Hotel

Colonsay
is one of the most remote islands in Britain and Grace said: “The nearest pub is in Oban, which is two hours and 20 minutes away on the ferry. The only other alternative is a 15-minute plane journey to Islay.”

She added: “We are opening the bar at weekends and over the festive period we are opening extra hours.

“Lots of relatives are visiting over Christmas and we might get some tourists here too because we have the road equivalent tariff now, so the ferry is cheaper.

“If there wasn’t a pub it wouldn’t be
a very enjoyable holiday, so it’s important to keep it open for tourists and the locals. It’s been very busy every weekend since we opened.

“Our opening night on December 1 was a roaring success, with an evening of whisky tasting.”

Lager is sold for £2 per can

Prices
in the pub are a bargain, at £2 for a can of lager or a measure of spirit, with the island shop supplying drink for the venture at cost price.

Colonsay also has its own micro brewery, who are supplying a variety of ales at bargain prices.

However, Grace stressed that the community board which is running the pub were promoting “sensible drinking”.

Around 20 volunteers help with bar shifts, cleaning and recycling.

Islander
Kevin Byrne, who once ran the Colonsay Hotel, said: “I am delighted they are doing this and I will support it as one should.”